Wednesday 25 August 2010:

We are starting our trek to London today.As we were leaving our little apartment on W 54th Street it was pouring down with rain.Luckily there was a very nice man who helped us get a taxi to take us to Penn Station.He just dropped everything he was doing and jumped out in front of all the Taxis until he found one that was available and he then helped us with our bags!I really thought that was awesome!

Once at the station we purchased our tickets for the train to JFK airport and found some breakfast.I rushed off across the street to go mail a package home.My free space in my pack is getting a bit tight so I mailed most of my new purchases home....something nice to look forward to when I get back to NZ!Sending a package from the states is quite an effort!There are so many forms and instructions to follow.The postman that helped me was very nice and patient but also very slow and it took me about 45 minutes to get everything sorted.Timing got a bit tight with the train but we made it and arrived at JFK with time to spare.

The first flight to Frankfurt was about 7.5 hours and arrived at 5am.We hardly had any sleep on the plane as we were fortunate to share our cabin with some very noisy kids.Once at Frankfurt airport we spread ourselves out on some chairs and had a nice nap for about an hour before we boarded our plane for London.By this stage it is already the 26th of August.

We caught the Tube from London Heathrow to Paddington Station and had a yummy lunch at the pub.Unfortunately we couldn't meet my friend Anna until 5pm so we ended up just chilling out at the station.Drinking coffee and reading our books.Once Anna finished work we caught the tube to Shepherds' Bush Markets and walked to Anna's.We met all the Flatties (there are a lot of them) and then headed out to an English pub for dinner and a beer.It was open mic night and one of Anna's Ausie mates gave it a go.Hilarious!!

Friday 27 August 2010:

We had a little bit of a sleep-in and then headed out to Buckingham Palace for change of the guard.We took the tube to Green Park and walked from there.The tube is very easy to use and super quick.

Buckingham palace has intense security with heaps of cops on horses and by the time we arrived there were already a lot of people.The changing of the guard is a big to-do.The whole thing is accompanied by a marching band and a lot of parading about.I felt sorry for the poor guard who was due to be relieved.It was like they were teasing him for a long time, marching in front of him and coming close but not close enough so they can do the swap.Eventually they did the "changing of the guard" and then there was a big procession as the red coats and black fluffy hats left the new guard to it.

Afterwards we walked through St James Park and ended up at Trafalgar Square.The square is amazing with all the statues and the fountains.The National Art Gallery and Portrait Gallery is situated here as well.We went into the National Gallery and spent some time marvelling at the different eras of Art.It was amazing to think that some of the pieces date back to the 1300s and that some of those were on walls of ancient churches.We also saw some pieces by Monet, Manet, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Rembrandt, just to mention a few.It is definitely a place where you need to spend a lot more time but there is still heaps of other things to see in London that requires our attention.

On the way back to Anna's we had a quick stop at Westfield, the biggest mall in all of Brittan.It is very different to our Westfield shopping centres.This one has heaps of designer labels and dotted with fancy champagne bars where in NZ we'd have coffee shops.There are also some more affordable shops like Mark & Spencers where we got a few tops.

Later on we met Anna for a few drinks with her workmates in Euston.It was another fun night out!

Saturday 28 August 2010:

Today I'm 25!!Happy Birthday to me!!Hehe!!As a birthday present, London put on some sunshine.What an awesome day!

We explored Camden and Portobello Markets.Camden Markets were huge with lots of interesting stalls and heaps of yummy food.I got myself some Peruvian food for lunch and enjoyed the sunshine.After Camden we caught the underground to Notting Hill and cruised down Portobello road.What an experience.Portobello road itself is narrow and with stalls on both sides the street is even narrower.Funny thing is the road isn't closed to traffic so halfway down we saw the rubbish truck turning into the road doing the rubbish run!It pretty much took up the little space that was left.

At around 3 we said goodbye to Anna and made our way to Russell Square were we met up with Contiki.We had dinner with the group and then took a walk through Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown.Covent Garden use to be the main markets of London and I am pretty sure that was where parts of My Fair Lady were filmed.The streets are all cobble stone and you can see the history in the architecture of the buildings.It has a great feel to it.Piccadilly Circus was alive with people!It has been compared to Times Square due to the fact that it has quite a number of neon signs as well.I'm not so sure if I agree with that having been to the real thing.Steph bought me a cupcake and milkshake at one of the cafes for my birthday and we sat there a while and watched the world go by.

Sunday 29 August 2010:

Today we had a Contiki day.We met the Contiki bus early to head out for a quick sightseeing trip of London before we left for Stonehenge and Bath.We drove over London Bridge and Tower Bridge.Tower Bridge is often mistaken for London Bridge but actually Tower Bridge is the one on most of the postcards.

Stonehenge was surreal.It is in the middle of nowhere in a random paddock on top of a small hill.It was quite cold and windy but the scenery was picturesque. The stones are massive and you have to wonder how they managed to move the stones and set them up in that particular pattern.We took the audio tour and all it did was prickle my curiosity.There are heaps of myths surrounding the Stonehenge but none that can be proved.It will always be a mystical place, which is kind of cool as so few things are unknown these days.One of the possible uses of the particular pattern of the stones could be to show the calendar months with the sun moving in the sky as the seasons change.

Next stop was the quaint village of Bath.The streets are mostly cobble stone and the houses are all joined or on top of each other and they go for miles.The Bath Abby towers over the main square and is picturesque.Before we went into the Roman Baths Museum we had a yummy Cornish pasty from one of the cafes.Cornish Pasties were invented by the wives of the miners who took leftovers for lunch.The wives baked the leftovers in a little pastry parcel and sent that off with the men who heated it up when they were ready.At the Museum we did the audio tour but there were so many people that it was difficult to get to see everything.It was still amazing to see and hear about the Roman architecture though.The baths are heated naturally and comes from a hot spring underneath the town and the belief was that the baths had healing powers.Many pilgrims journeyed here to bathe in the hot pools.

We only had a few hours to spend in Bath so I power walked it through the streets and found a market in Queens Square where I found some yummy Cupcakes and all kinds of cheeses, olives, meats and other delicacies.Unfortunately, but understandably, we're not allowed to take the stinky cheeses on the coach otherwise I would have bought some.I bought some fudge from the fudge place though and watched them make it for a while.I also did a quick stop at the Jane Austen Centre but didn't have enough time to do the 30 minute walk through the old house.

Once back in London we headed out to the infamous Brick Lane for an Indian Curry.We took the underground there and walked down the bustling Lane all the while listening to people yelling at us that they have the best food and the best price.We eventually settled on a place and bargained on the price of our meal!All good fun!They even gave us a discount voucher for a bottle of wine from the corner liquor store!

Monday 30 August 2010:

We headed over to the London Eye first thing this morning to avoid the queues and pretty much got straight on.The views from the top of the eye are amazing.London is quite flat so it is easy to pick out landmarks and follow the Thames Rivers.The eye is quite big and it took me a while to get use to the height thing.Once we reached the top safely I started to relax and could enjoy the views on the way down.The cabins are bigger than a normal Ferris wheel and can fit about 12 people comfortably.

After the London Eye we walked past Big Ben on our way to Westminster Abby.Westminster Abby is jam packed with history.We did the guided walk which was well worth it.The Verger who took us on the tour was full of knowledge and took us to parts of the Abby that was closed to public.We stood on the grave of Sir Isaac Newton and a few other famous scientists.We also got a chance to see the crypt of St Edward the Confessor as well as the Kings and Queens that followed him.There are over 3000 people buried at Westminster and most of them have contributed in some way to how we know the world today.There is even a poets' corner with a memorial for William Shakespeare.

The next stop was the Tower of London.Another history filled attraction.The Tower of London is the remnants of a medieval castle.It is also the home of the Crown Jewels.

Once back at the hotel it is a frantic rush to get ready to meet the Contiki crew for the Chicago Musical in West End.We all met at a traditional English pub before the show for a pint.The show was great but after seeing Marry Poppins in New York, I doubt that any Broadway show will ever live up to expectations again.The singing in Chicago and the band was amazing but the set never really changed.All in all it was a great night and it was fun to get dressed up!